Silversmith

From 1699-1780 there were 15, possibly 16, silversmiths in Williamsburg.
There was a strong preference among wealthy planters for importing
large silverware from London. Many Williamsburg silversmiths likeJames
and James Geddy had to make their living by importing and selling
English silverware and items not related to the trade. The majority
of silver work in Williamsburg was making small pieces such as spoons,
buttons, shoe buckles and completing numerous repairs for the middling
sort as well as the gentry.

A silversmith works with precious metals such as gold and
silver. Often in the 18th century, a silversmith would call himself a goldsmith for the
added prestige. The "smith" part of the name indicates that hammers are used
for shaping the silver (the word smith derives from the word smite, meaning to hit or strike).
Flatware (knives, spoons and forks), hollowware (hollow vessels) and jewelry are all
crafted in this manner.

The smith begins with a thick piece of metal called an ingot. The ingot
is hammered with a sledgehammer on an anvil to thin the metal. Then the piece is placed
over a stake, and the raising process begins. When the shaping is finished, the final
smoothing is done with a planishing hammer.

Decorative pieces such as handles and finials are added after
the final planishing. These pieces are cast in sand molds and are attached to the body
of the piece with silver solder. Sometimes the smith uses a jeweler's saw or a sharp
tool to create a pierced design in the object being crafted. Finally, the piece is
polished using pumice (a volcanic ash), tripoli (decomposed limestone, less abrasive than
pumice), and jeweler's rouge (powdered red iron ore.) These final steps require a great
deal of time, often more than the shaping of the piece itself.

Virginia silversmiths faced several challenges. The greatest difficulty was obtaining unfinished
silver: the only silver that Great Britain allowed the colonies to import was in the form of
finished pieces. Silversmiths frequently offered to pay citizens for their old silver goods
In addition, there was always competition among silversmiths whose customers were limited to
the small group of colonists who could afford silver items.